New Diver Needs Gear Advice

[Hunter McLamb]

I need some advice on what is the best scuba gear to buy, i am new to diving and am obsessed with it. I have grown tired of renting crappy gear and want to buy my own but there is to much to choose from so i joined this forum for some advice. Can anyone help?

 

[Marie13]

Where and what type of diving are you doing?

Are you a several times a year vacation diver or also diving at home in cold quarries?

 

[Hunter McLamb]

I have been diving in cold river fed lakes with clear visibility, but already have two dive trips planned, one to another fresh water lake and then another to salt water. I plan to do all types of diving in the future so i want to get gear that i can use in both types. My main decision right now is whether i want a back inflated bcd or jacket style. Also which regulator to get. im struggling with trying to figure out how much i need to spend. Like anything else i know that you get what you pay for, but do i really need a $700 regulator? thanks for the help

 

[flyboy08]

If I were starting out....I'd look at Derp Six. I dive with Hogs and they suit me very well. You'll get about three hundred different responses.

Any weight integrated BC that's comfortable.

 

[Hunter McLamb]

yea i figured i would, i guess to narrow it down, im wondering if i really need to spend a ton of money on gear or will the cheap stuff get the job done. I dont mind spending the money but im curious if it is necessary

 

[Efka76]

I was in your shoes few months ago. Now I have all required equipment. My logic in buying stuff was the following (maybe this will be useful for you as well):

1) Wetsuit - I choose Seac Komodo 5 mm as this is a very nice looking wetsuit, made from Yamamoto material (reviews say that this suit is warmer than others). When choosing wetsuit, the most important thing is proper fit and comfort. from all wetsuits that I tried Seac fit me the best. My wife found that only Beauchat wetsuit fit her very well.

2) Regulators - I choose Scubapro MK25Evo / A700. These regulators can be used in cold water, are very good quality ( I read various reviews before buying it. Scubapro regulators usually are more expensive than their analogs from Apeks, Mares and etc. I choose Scubapro because I like this firm. Octopus - Scubapro R195: good octopus, mad by my favorite company. SPG - Scubapro.

3) Dive computer - Cressi Newton. When choosing dive computer I had to take into account that my wife is also diving and she did not want some fancy dive computer (e.g. Shearwater, Oceanic, etc.). I choose Cressi Newton as it is pretty simple , Air / Nitrox, watch size computer with user replaceable battery. Also, my wife liked Cressi design more than other computers

4) Fins - Scubapro Seawing Nova 2. I read many reviews about fins. Also, my instructor had the same fins and was very happy with them. From my diving experience I can also recommend these fins (they were very useful when I was diving in strong currents).

5) BCD - Scubapro Hydros Pro. Read various reviews, really liked technology, design. Me and my wife are very happy with our choice. The only drawback of this BCD that is more expensive that their analogs made by other firms.

6) Torch - Mares EOS RZ20 - Powerful torch (2300 lumens), rechargeable. I was looking for powerful torch which is rechargeable (I do not like to buy batteries and increase wastage). When I had night dives I had simple torch and could not see anything. That's why I decided to buy powerful torch and now I am more than happy. Night diving became a pleasure as you can clearly see everything.

7) Diving boots - Scubapro Delta. They just fit me well.

8) Diving knife - Scubapro mako Titanium. Nice knife but would recommend Eezyut Trilobite (ordered for my wife) as cutting tool is better at cutting and price is much lower).

9) Mask - Tusa HD. Good and nice mask but now I would buy low profile mask as it is more convenient.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

FWIW, I switched from jacket-style to back-inflate (but not back-plate-and-wing) about 15-20 years ago and wouldn't go back. Partly because I like the way it trims out, mostly because it leaves lots of room to add second stages, camera, lights, etc.. Beyond that, try out before you buy. My LDS has a pool and lets you do just that.

On regulators, make sure you know where it can be serviced reliably. Some shops may turn up their noses at some brands. You might be able to ship it somewhere for service, but make sure you know where that is. Maybe I'm lucky, but my LDS has the same prices on brands they service as the online retailers, unless the LDS has a sale in which case it's cheaper. And they service what they sell right in the shop. If I were buying a new regulator, I'd go Scubapro because of the above, though I'm diving either a Zeagle, Mares, or Cressi now. The Cressi will be junked first, since fewer and fewer shops are servicing this model, even though it's the youngest of the three. That's not to dis Cressi; it's just true for the model I own. (I'd still do mail order for cameras and lights, but not much point for me if I'm buying a reg or BCD my shop sells.)

On cost, I've gone low end as a rule. I don't care if it breathes a little harder; this hasn't bothered me. But then I'm not diving to 230' to explore a wreck. The one thing that has me a bit worried is the diaphragm style first stage. I think I'd go piston if possible.

But this is all IMHO, and YMMV. If at all possible, try before you buy.

 

[rsingler]

What @Seaweed Doc said: buy regs that you can get serviced at a place you trust, hopefully locally.

If price is a factor, wait for your dive shop's sale, or purchase used gear that they have serviced of the same brand that they sell. Beware of eBay for regulators at this stage. But an eBay bcd of last year's model frequently is offered by bigger dive shops trying to clear out stock. You can often save 50% on a new bcd.
Neoprene will be an issue given the temp spread of your plans. I might consider mail order thin neoprene, but for your thick cold water wetsuit, buy only what you can try on first.

My 2 cents.

 

[tbone1004]

align yourself with Scuba John's in Columbia assuming your zip code is right. You will not regret it. Baker is a good dude and is a demo center for Deep Six. If you want to look at some other gear, I'm up in Greenville and would be more than happy to let you try some in Jocassee

 

[Bowers]

my 0.2 is back inflate (hog total bouyancy package is a good bang for your buck), and an easy to get serviced, environmentally sealed regulator (more dependable for cold or mucky water). Id also recommend looking into various hose configurations (long hose, primary under arm on swivel, etc) as there are far better options than the "standard" that many use during training.